


Home is where the heart is

by maevesdarling



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Compliant, Cute, Gentleness, Getting Together, Holding Hands, Love Confessions, M/M, Nature, Protective Arthur, Romance, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-14 14:24:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18478066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maevesdarling/pseuds/maevesdarling
Summary: Arthur and Albert decide to head down to Flat Iron Lake for a much needed vacation of sorts.(...) "Hurry, Mister Morgan!" Albert encouraged the outlaw as he hurried behind him. It was a gorgeous summer afternoon in New Hannover. They had met at the crack of dawn, left Saint Denis early and rode towards the Flat Iron Lake together. Now, as the sun was shining down at them in the cloudless sky Arthur could feel sweat pooling down his back. He had gotten rid of his jacket some time ago but it was to little use. A little swim would feel wonderful, he mused as he followed Albert down to the sandy shore of the Flat Iron Lake.(...)





	Home is where the heart is

**Author's Note:**

> It's finally starting to get warmer so I felt inspired to write something romantic for my favorite outlaw and his disaster photographer boyfriend. The horse Arthur rides in this fic is the one I had in my first playthrough. 
> 
> Sweet Carrie, you were with me from the start until the end and you were the most basic horse you could get in the game. I loved you and I promise to keep writing you into ever single one of my stories.
> 
> My Tumblr is @ maevesdarling

"Hurry, Mister Morgan!" Albert encouraged the outlaw as he hurried behind him. It was a gorgeous summer afternoon in New Hannover. They had met at the crack of dawn, left Saint Denis early and rode towards the Flat Iron Lake together. Now, as the sun was shining down at them in the cloudless sky Arthur could feel sweat pooling down his back. He had gotten rid of his jacket some time ago but it was to little use. A little swim would feel wonderful, he mused as he followed Albert down to the sandy shore of the Flat Iron Lake. His horse, Carrie, was nodding her head happily at the sight of water. He was walking next to her, his boots sinking deep into the sandy beach with every step, the horse strolling along like a loyal dog, her steps growing more and more erratic as she followed the small path towards the waterline. He let go of her reins, knowing the mare was much stronger than him and would certainly plummet him into the lake on accident. 

The horse made a happy sound and started galloping towards the lake, soon she was standing all the way to her belly in the clear water, throwing her head from side to side happily. Albert's horse didn't seemed as convinced. The chestnut colored mare had her ears pinned to her head and despite the heat she didn't dared to get even close to the water, although they couldn't really blame the poor horse, Albert had rented her from a stable in Saint Denis, and god knows who had ridden her before the photographer got her. 

As the two men stood besides each other, watching the horse play in the water, Arthur could feel himself starting to relax. All the pent up anxiety and nervousness he had been carrying with him since Blackwater seemed to vanish as he sat down in the sand and lit a cigarette. He held the pack out to Albert but the photographer shook his head. 

"No thanks, I don't smoke, Mister Morgan." That was unusual, Arthur thought. Back in camp, it seemed like everyone, save for little Jack, smoked. The smell of tobacco lingered in the air as soon as he reached the outskirts of camp. It was the first thing he noticed whenever he'd reach the camp. The strong smell of tobacco and gunpowder and whatever Person had decided to throw into their bowl of stew. It would blend together into a smell that Arthur could only describe as 'home'.

Albert stretched his long limbs and then started to roll up his trousers, there was already some sand sticking to the grey fabric. He then slipped out of his boots and placed them on the sand next to him. "I'm going for a walk. Care to join me? The water seems to be just the right temperature." Arthur nodded a bit taken aback and quickly got out of his own pair of soft riding boots. He didn't bothered to roll up his dark jeans before sprinting into the shallow waves, feeling the clear water hit his skin. It was perfect.

"My my Mister Morgan, I didn't realized how eager you were to get into the water." Albert mocked as he tagged along. Arthur splashed some water into his general direction and grinned, soon they were both splashing each other with water, their clothes soaked, water dripping from their hair. Albert was hollering and even Arthur couldn't keep himself from grinning happily. "Try keeping up, old man!" Albert mocked and hurried a bit further into the water. Arthur tried to grab his arms to pull him closer. 

"We're only four years apart you spoiled brat!"

"Ruffian!" Water splashed between them when Arthur got hold of Albert's arm and pulled him closer.

"Goop!" Albert laughed, his laughter vibrated against Arthur's soft belly, making his cheeks blush.

"Lunatic!" Arthur's laughter died in his throat when their eyes met. 

Albert was watching him with an unreadable expression on his face. His eyebrows knitted ever so slightly, lips slightly parted. "I…" He leaned in closer until their noses bumped into each other and they both giggled. Afterwards the spell was broken and Albert pulled away ever so slowly before making his way back towards the beach.

They sat cross-legged around a small fire Arthur had set up. Carrie was lying on her stomach, her legs were almost nestled underneath her like a giant cat. Her rider was leaning against her back, his hands stretched out towards the warm flames.

Albert's mare, Buttercup was standing a bit farther off. She was still nervous but at least she had started to warm up towards Arthur and his own horse. She even dared to take a cautious step towards the two of them from time to time. 

Albert was leaning against the trunk of a tree, a stack of old photos in his hands. "Look at these." He handed them towards Arthur. "I found them yesterday. These are some of the photographs I used to take during my time in New York. I thought you might like them." 

Arthur took them with a fond smile and went through the stack. They showed a scenery similar to Saint Denis. Angry looking people and dirty streets. Huge office buildings and statues. If was all so familiar and yet so foreign. 

"These are… very interesting, Mister Mason." Albert waved him off. "They're god awful." He stretched his long legs, flinching when the flames almost licked at his boots and leaned back further against the trunk. "I didn't really had a plan when I took these. I was young, still in university. A friend of mine lend me his camera." Arthur nodded only half listening.

"They still look remarkable to me." Arthur said honestly and handed them back, careful not to drop one. Albert had a faint blush creeping up his neck. Arthur couldn't tell if it was from the heat of the fire or his compliments. 

"Thank you…" He said after a long pause. "For taking me with you. I guess I really needed to relax."

"My pleasure, Mister Morgan. I enjoy your company. Besides I feel more at ease knowing I have someone with me. Just in case a hungry bear might decide to jump out of the next bush and eat me for dinner." Arthur chuckled. "You know I'd never let that happen. I care way too much about you."

Albert licked his lips almost unconsciously, his brown eyes fixed on Arthur. "I- Thank you." He scooted a bit closer until their hands practically touched. Arthur tried not to stare. A shiver run down his spine. One of his fingers darted out to gently rub over Albert's soft hand. Their hands interwined painfully slowly and the moment Arthur raised them towards his lips to leave a gentle kiss he could hear the photographer exhale shakily.

They watched the sun go down, their hands still interwined. Neither of them said a word. Cicadas started humming everywhere around them, a goose lifted itself into the dark sky and Buttercup huffed as she laid down next to Carrie. 

Arthur smiled contently when he felt the photographers head on his broad shoulders. He closed his eyes and sighed.

Maybe home wasn't the smell of tobacco and stew, but a photographer with a heart of gold.


End file.
